Thursday, October 23. 2014

Back in 2009, there were only a handful of real kratom vendors around with the exception of the head-shop kratom crowd. In that time, it was a lot easier to know who the best kratom vendor was because it was much easier to compare vendors when there's less competition. Back then kratom was almost all Bali strains, Premium Bali, Commercial Bali, Super Bali and the occasional Maeng Da strain here and there.

Now there is a lot more variety in both strains of kratom as well as the vendors who sell it. As a result of this competition, strains of kratom have become a lot more diverse, but not every strain or vendor is good. Because of this, finding the best kratom vendor is very difficult.

Another impact of kratom becoming more popular is that there are a lot more kratom growers around, and a result of this is variability in the consistency of kratom. One kratom vendor may have the best kratom for a month, and then their kratom quality drops and another kratom vendor takes the center stage. The kratom market is moving more and more quickly than in the past, and because of this I'm going to give a simple guide to finding a kratom vendor no matter the time instead of giving a list of the current best kratom vendors, only to see it change in a week.

In order to do this I'm just going to give you guys a few resources that can be a dramatic help in finding a great kratom vendor. For a similar guide to finding the best kratom vendor, this one is pretty good, as it mostly focuses on helping those who want to a more broad way to find good vendors.

Forums

One of the best places to look when trying to figure out which vendor is best at the moment is kratom forums. There are a ton of different kratom forums at the moment, but the most popular least biased forum at the moment is kcforums.com in my opinion. kcforums.com is the migrated version of the old kratomconnoisseurs.com forum, which is still open in fact.

On kcforums there are a variety of different discussion boards on finding the best kratom vendors, as well as a section for plain leaf, extract and enhanced kratom reviews, which in my opinion is the most valuable portion of that forum. You can figure out exactly what vendor has the best batches and strains of kratom very quickly.

The community on this forum is very active and helpful, it's just a good place to go to whether you're a new kratom user or an experienced user, there's always something that you can learn.

Reviews

There are plenty of places you can find reviews for kratom online, but a big majority of them are either fake our outdated. Because of this, I use reddit.com/r/kratom and reddit.com/r/kratomkorner as well in order to find reviews outside of kcforums. Both of them are great kratom communities, but /r/kratom does occasionally have some fake users post reviews, so keep a discerning eye.

Overall finding the best kratom vendor is pretty easy with these two resources, otherwise it's easy to get lost in the massive amount of vendors out there.

Sunday, October 12. 2014

The question, "how long does kratom last" is a question that I am asked a lot by friends and others new to kratom, a lot of them transitioning for more dangerous drugs. Because of all the different alkaloids that are found within kratom as well as all of the different strains, grinds and such it is hard to say with certainty how long a specific strain will last; however, you can estimate on average how long it will last.

Strains vs Duration

One of the biggest factors with kratom duration is the strain you are using, a lot of the time the more sedating strains will last longer. The reason for this is the high 7-OH-mitragynine levels, which lasts longer than mitragynine. Some strains that are high in 7-hydroxymitragynine are green Malaysian strains, borneo strains, indo strains and bali strains. Any of these will last a little bit longer on average than a Thai strain would. Typically green Malaysian lasts the longest at around 6 hours, while the other sedating strains last around 5. Thai strains can last as little as 4 hours, depending on their proportion of mitragynine to 7-hydroxymitragynine.

Density of Grind vs Duration

Another thing to consider when wondering how long a kratom will last is the how finely the kratom is ground. Kratom that is ground to a pulpy flour material will kick in much more quickly but won't last as long. Kratom that is ground more densely will take longer to kick in, but it will last a good bit longer. Depending on what you want, try and get the grind desired.

Digestion Vs Duration

Another common aspect that many don't consider is digestion of kratom. If you have a slow metabolism, kratom will most definitely last longer in your system. However, fast metabolisms will increase potency but drop the duration. Taking kratom on a full stomach will definitely lengthen the duration, but it will also dull the effects. So keep these factors in mind when looking for the ideal kratom duration for you.

Because of all of these different factors, it is hard to say exactly how long any strain or grind will last. The only way to really know for certain is to test it out yourself.

Thursday, October 9. 2014

Something that a lot of people are conerned about when taking kratom is the potential for withdrawal when they decide to quit or take a break. This is reasonable because nearly every psychoactive substance can have some sort of withdrawal symptoms when you quit. Anyone who wants to know about this topic can read this little guide that a I put together on both the symptoms and kratom withdrawal duration as well as how to prevent kratom withdrawal

Overall, kratom withdrawal is really mild, unless you are taking very excessive doses of kratom very regularly. In this case, the withdrawal symptoms can become a little bit more uncomfortable. The intensity of kratom withdrawal is very similar to the withdrawal from caffeine, but the symptoms are a bit different.

Symptoms of Kratom Withdrawal

There are a few symptoms of kratom withdrawal, and overall they seem like a more mild type of opiate withdrawal. I have been through kratom withdrawal a few times because of my fairly regular use, and it is typically nothing to worry about, especially for people who are healthy overall. The main symptoms are insomnia (minor), restlessness, restless legs, yawning and lack of energy.

How Long Does it Last?

The duration of kratom withdrawal is pretty short in comparison to a lot of other withdrawal syndromes. Typically, it will last just a few days and you'll be back to normal fully by about the 7 to 9 day mark. The physical effects of kratom withdrawal only last about 3 days, but again it really depends on how much kratom you are using and how often. Enso Botanicals wrote a bit about this topic with some good information on kratom withdrawal duration as well as a pretty good list of symptoms for those who want a more thorough guide on the topic, though I don't think all the information is really necessary if you're keeping kratom use in moderation!

Because kratom withdrawal is a pain, there's not reason anyone should deal with. Despite not being too bad, I don't think that anyone really wants to feel kind of sub par for a few days. Because of this, there are a few things that you can do.

Reducing and Regulating Dosage

Reducing dosage is the easiest way to avoid kratom withdrawal. This can be done by either reducing the amount you take per each use or to reduce how often you take kratom. The latter seems to be the best method for me, because it is hard to develop a tolerance to anything if you don't take it regularly. In fact, most people don't really experience withdrawal until they have been using kratom for a few months regularly before they notice anything that could be related to a withdrawal symptom at all. Because of this, there is a lot of room to avoid this problem.

Stem and Vein Kratom

Another way to reduce kratom tolerance is to substitute regular kratom leaf for stem and vein kratom. Because it has a different set of alkaloids than the leaf portion of the plant, it can drop tolerance pretty which can for sure help you avoid kratom withdrawal symptoms.

Kratom withdrawal really isn't that bad, but I don't think that anyone really enjoys it as well. Because of this, make sure that you are not overdoing kratom if you don't absolutely need it for some reason.

Thursday, October 2. 2014

Ever since I started buying kratom in bulk, bikhuk was my every day kratom vendor. However, not all of their strains are equal, and it seems like their quality has dropped over time. Additionally, they switched shipping services and their normall 2 week delivery time has changed to about a month or more on some occasions, so make sure if you buy from bikhuk to order it well ahead of time.

Bikhuk Strains

By far my favorite Bikhuk is their green malaysian. This strain lasts a long time and is pretty potent, the only downside is that it can be a pretty wobbly kratom at high doses, which is not ideal. Because of this I like to mix it with other kratom, which seems to extend the duration of effects and reduce the wobblyness of it.

Because of the shipping time, I don't order from them nearly as much, but I do suggest them if you're interested in a pretty good green malaysian strain. Their other strains are pretty good, but it can really depend on the batch.

For bulk kratom I've mostly switched to a couple other vendors who I am pretty happy with right now.

So that's my review of bikhuk, I'm sure there are plenty of others who have some input on this!

Wednesday, October 1. 2014

Something that I've been seeing more and more frequently is vendors labeling their kratom as "wildcrafted." Now, this is typically something that you'll typically only see from vendors in Indonesia and similar areas, despite what has been called the Indonesian kratom ban but it is still something that a few people have been curious about.

The definition of wildcrafted kratom is basically kratom that is harvested that is grown naturally, and not on a plantation or farm and whatnot. So, those who sell wildcrafted kratom are those who are luckily close to an area where kratom grows abundantly. Sadly, although kratom grows abundantly in Thailand, it is illegal there at the moment.

What are the Effects of Wildcrafted Kratom?

The effects of wildcrafted kratom can vary like any other type of kratom, and because of picking it from nature, it is hard to determine exactly what the strain is except through effects that it gives. Because of that, wildcrafted kratom "strains" are typically a blend of a variety of substrains found in the area.

The potency of wildcrafted kratom varies dramatically depending on where it is harvested from. Different strains have different ideal growth conditions; vendors have found that the best place to harvest wildcrafted borneo is near rivers and streams, while Thai strains are better off harvested in heavy sunlight, slightly more arid (for the tropics) regions.

Because wildcrafted kratom is relatively new, you may experience some unique effects from it and I suggest that anyone who is curious to try it and see how you like it. Remember though that the wildcrafted product you get may be a blend of different strains if harvested from different trees, making the effect more balanced unless harvested strictly by location and climate.

Tuesday, September 30. 2014

In years past, one of the most commonly bought and popular types of kratom was bali kratom. The reason bali kratom was so popular is because of its potency in comparison to its price, but over time bali kratom has become less popular as different vendors have expanded their selection to include more exotic and unique strains of kratom.

However, for everyone who has been using kratom for a while, bali kratom likely has a place within their heart. I know that for me, it was the first kratom type I every tried, and I was very impressed. However, not every different type of bali was equal back then, we had super bali, premium bali, and commercial bali, all with varying potency -- now you're hard-pressed to find any real bali strains that are of good quality.

Because of this big reduction in the amount of bali strains available, the vendors that do supply good bali will have high demand for these products, and often go out of stock rather quickly.

The effects of bali are pretty interesting in comparison to other strains of kratom. The bali strain is high on potency, and overall sedating, though more stimulating than most other sedating strains. The effects of bali are more "in your face" than some of the more subtle strains. The only downside with a lot of bali is that you can encounter the kratom wobbles at pretty low doses in comparison to a lot of other strains, making it feel "dirtier/rougher" for a portion of the kratom community.

Despite this downside, I feel like bali will continue to be a popular type of kratom, especially for those who don't mind the rougher, but euphoric feel of bali strains.

Because I'm a fan of bali, I always want to learn about the different vendors who are carrying new bali products, so keep your ears open for me!

Monday, September 29. 2014

Maeng Da is one of those strains of kratom that has stayed relatively the same over the past few years. Even when the only types of kratom you could buy online were known as super, premium and commercial, Maeng Da was typically somewhere in the picture. The effects of maeng da are very unique in comparison to a lot of other strains of kratom, and is definitely one of the most commonly bought types of kratom, despite typically costing a lot more than other varieties of kratom.

Over the past few weeks I've been researching the history of maeng da kratom and learning as much as I could, and I thought that I would post a general guide about maeng da, it's effects and the origins of the strain.

The Origins of Maeng Da

So, there is a little bit of conflicting information about the history of this strain of kratom, but the best information that I've yet seen is within this article about maeng da kratom. Which is what I'm basing a portion of this post on, because I feel that it is a pretty interesting topic that I feel like a lot of you guys would be interested in.

Kratom Grafting

Kratom has been used in Thailand for thousands of years, and in that time different kratom strains started to evolve because of different breeding and regions in which it was grown. Fast forward a few thousand years, the climate of these different areas created unique and interesting kratom strains and regions became known for the character of their kratom, some of the primary areas in which this occurred are: Thailand, Indonesia, Bali, Borneo, Sunda, and more recently Vietnam.

Because of the growing popularity of kratom in countries besides Thailand, different farms, plantations and wildcrafters sprouted. One of these plantations was born in Indonesia, and they used a unique tool technique to genetically change and merge different plants, which according to the article I referenced is useful for creating early maturing and potent kratom strains by merging two different plants, this process was called grafting.

This plantation decided to name one of their newly created strains Maeng Da, and it became rapidly popular in the area. While this kratom farm doesn't exist any longer, the name maeng da is still used to refer to strong strains that are similar in effects to the original.

The Effects of Maeng Da

The effects of maeng da are typically a blend of the experience you would get from a thai strain and a more sedating strain like a borneo. Unlike a lot of other types of kratom, maeng da is both stimulating and sedating depending on the dose. Lower doses of MD being more stimulating and larger doses being more sedating. In comparison to a lot of other strains, this one is fairly potent and typically costs a bit more, but for anyone who wants to learn about kratom and experience its effects, maeng da kratom is a great place to start.

If there's anything else you want to know about maeng da just ask me and I'll add it to the post!

Sunday, September 28. 2014

While this isn't going to be as long as a lot of my other posts, I wanted to just provide some neat information that I found on kratom, that can be enlightening for a lot of kratom users.

Kratom's Antioxidant Effects

Due to kratom's large epicatechin content, it is nearly as an effective an antioxidant as green tea when taken in regular doses. This antioxidant effect can have a large benefit for a variety of purposes. Antioxidants, especially powerful antioxidants like epicatechin, can dramatically reduce the levels of free-radicals found within the body, which regulates healthy functioning of a variety of areas from the brain to the skin and organ systems, and even the immune system.

Studies show that epicatechin and other flavonoids exert a protective role on osmotic fragility of cells, similar to that of insulin. The mechanism of action of epicatechin is different to that of insulin and remains speculative. In diabetic red blood cells epicatechin causes an increase in acetylcholinesterase activity. This activity is significantly lower in type 2 diabetic patients.

Wednesday, September 24. 2014

While I know there is a lot of information on how different people take kratom on forums and the like, I want to hear from any of you what you feel is the best way to take kratom and why.

I've been taking kratom a few different ways since I started taken kratom and I'll list what I've found to be the pros and cons of each method.

The first times I ever took kratom was through tea, as I figured since it is an herb, would be a pretty common-sense choice. I still occasionally use this method because of how quick the onset is, despite the taste. One of the downsides of it is that if you take the powder out of the tea, the effects are lacking something that's found in taking the leaf in other ways, but if you leave the powder in, it's pretty tough to get down.

Mostly I use the toss and wash method, mostly for simplicity and ease, though when I first started attempting to toss and wash I had a few nasty experiences of inhaling powder, not fun. The good part about toss and wash is convenience, and full effects, though it kind of sucks that it only works effectively on an empty stomach.

I've heard of others mixing kratom with stuff like yogurt, but I'm not sure if I could handle that. It doesn't seem to be too appealing to me =x.

Sublingual kratom use is something that I've been experimenting with with good effects too, when I have time I take about half my dose as toss and wash and half sublingual (under the tongue). I like this method because the effects come on really quickly, but the downside is the headache that it can cause if you hold it in your mouth for too long.

How do you take kratom? I'm still looking for unique methods, so don't hesitate to let us known!

Tuesday, September 23. 2014

Because different kratom strains and doses can have different effects, anyone who is using this plant for medicinal purposes should have a good idea of what doses to take in order to get the best effects from kratom.

For those who are using kratom for pain relief, it is necesssary to take somewhat higher doses than are used for many other purposes. Typically, a dose for pain relief will range fro around 3 grams to 7 grams, depending on tolerance and the strain of kratom

For stimulation, it is a good idea to use a lower dose. With some strains like thai, this dose can be raised while still having stimulating effects. However, most types of kratom remain more stimulating at lower doses and more sedating at higher doses.

For anxiety and stress relief, the dose is typically best at the higher side, but typically not as high as pain relief. Typically 2 to 6 grams is ideal for this. For anyone looking for anxiety and stress relief, it is a good idea to use more sedative strains like a bali instead of say, a thai or maeng da strain.

While this is not comprehensive as far as all uses of kratom, it should give one a basic idea of the best dose.

Friday, September 19. 2014

The other day I was talking to a few friends about different strains of kratom and one of them brought up the topic of different vein colors and I thought that would be a pretty neat topic to talk about, as not many people really know the differences in vein colors and effects.

Clean Effects

White vein kratom strains are some of my favorites for a few reasons. The first reason is that overall they feel cleaner than most other strains, typically when you take a high dose of a red vein strain you can tend to get fuzzy headed and sedated, whereas with a white vein the experience feels more crisp.

Stimulation

Another reason this vein type is so great is because of its stimulating effects. In fact, even typically sedating strains like borneo and indo can be on the stimulating side if they're a white vein. This can create some very unique effects that are different from any other type of kratom.

Focus

I've heard a lot of people remark on the focus enhancing effects of this type of kratom, and I agree entirely. These type is overall much more subtle than either green or reds, but their effects are potent in the area of focus. This makes them great for more mentally-stimulating activities, such as writing, reading and the like.

Creativity

I'm not sure if this is something that others have experienced, but I have noticed that this type can be great for creativity. Because it gets you into a "clean" state of mind and provides focus, it seems to enhance the flow of thoughts and allows one to be more fluid and creative.

Thursday, September 18. 2014

Because there is such a huge selection of kratom for sale online, it can be difficult to know exactly where to start in order to find the strongest kratom both overall and that fits exactly what you want in a kratom. Because kratom strength can range from plants within strains, this is not a set guide that is always applicable in every circumstance. Instead, this will be a general overview of the different kratom strains and their potency from my experiences.

Strains of Kratom

As I noted earlier, different kratom strains have different effects, so I'm going to go over the overall strength of each strain and what makes it unique in comparison to others. I should note that this is my personal experience with these strains, another blogger wrote a good kratom strain comparison which is pretty similar to mine but has some differences as well, so to eliminate some of the bias I would check them both out as well as read around at kratom forums.

Maeng Da
10/10

Maeng Da is one of the most popular and strong strains of kratom. It is typically considered the strongest because it has very effective painkilling and euphoric effects in comparison to a lot of other stimulating strains. While not every Maeng Da is made equal, most of them are fairly stimulating, but typically less so than a Thai. Because of these effects, this is one of the most desirable strains of kratom as of 2014 and has been so for a while.

Borneo

9/10

Borneo is another awesome kratom and is perfect for anyone who loves more sedating strains. Borneo has a very unique blend of effects and typically has almost no stimulating effects, especially red vein borneo, which I consider the strongest kratom overall when grown correctly. There seems to be a lot of variation between different borneo kratom strains so definitely do some research before buying this type of kratom.

Indo

9/10

Indo kratom is very similar to borneo kratom, but there are some unique differences in the feel of the experience for real kratom connoisseurs. Green vein indo has become very popular in the past year and is pretty long-lasting, but slightly less sedating than a typically red vein indo strain.

Bali

8/10

Bali is one of those strains that people either love or they hate. In my experience, bali is a pretty sedating kratom but it has some interesting mental stimulation effects as well. Bali is pretty euphoric in comparison to a lot of other types of kratom, and a good bali strain can be exceptional.

Thai

7.5/10

Thai strains are really unique, and are typically really stimulating in comparison to just about every other type of kratom. Although I love sedating strains, Thai kratom will hold a place in my heart. One of the most loved types of thai is red vein thai, which is pretty stimulating with moderate painkilling effects and a pretty strong mental component.

Green Malaysian

7.5/10

Green Malaysian is one of those strains that really depends on who you get it from. I have had extremely potent green Malaysian strains but I have also had pretty weak ones as well, so it definitely takes some shopping around, and that's why I rated at 7.5 of 10. GM is neither to sedating or too stimulating, and a lot of people really swear by it.

So that's my overview of the strongest kratom strains! This is definitely based on my own experiences and I don't think that everyone would agree. Because of that, I'd like to see what you consider the strongest kratom.

Monday, September 15. 2014

Besides the main reasons that kratom is used, such as pain relief and opiate withdrawal relief, kratom can be extremely effective for anxiety and stress relief. However, because there are a large variety of different effects in different strains and plants, it is a good idea to have an understanding of what to look for before finding using kratom for stress relief.

There are a few strains to avoid when looking for an ideal stress and anxiety relief kratom. The top strains to avoid are Thai, and potentially maeng da, depending upon the type. Also, it is a good idea to avoid most white veined strains because they can tend to be rather stimulating in comparison to both green vein and red vein kratom strains.

For anyone looking for a great strain for stress relief, here are a few types of strains that are ideal for anxiety and stress relief.

1. Borneo

Borneo is in my opinion the ideal type of kratom for stress and anxiety relief. Like Indo, Bali and most sunda strains, Borneo kratom strains very sedating, especially red vein borneos. However, it has been repeatedly remarked on kratom forums that there is something very unique to this type of kratom that makes it ideal for this purpose. However, because this strains is one of, if not the most, sedating kratom strain, it may not be ideal to take high doses during the day, as it can make you pretty damn tired.

2. Indo

As far as relaxation and anxiety relief, Indo is highly effective. There are some variations within the strain, that can make some indos less effective or this purpose, however, nearly all of them will have provide a very chill experience with slightly less sedation than most borneos.

3. Bali

Bali is one of the most commonly used strains for this purpose, the reason for this is because it is both effect and low priced in comparison to most other types of kratom. While a little bit more stimulating than the other two, it is definitely still on the sedating side in comparison to most types of kratom.

For anyone looking for anxiety and stress relief, all of these strains can be effective. Definitely be sure to watch your dose, as too high a dose of them can cause mild side effects. You can check out a sample of a few peoples success using these strains for this purpose at http://www.reddit.com/r/kratom/comments/1xvmsn/3_months_kratom_use/

Tuesday, July 15. 2014

Since the earliest historical records, human beings have been experimenting with plants, and any other substance available, in order to obtain altered states of consciousness. But what is the value in these experiences? Why are they still sought by humans who live in some of the best conditions yet experienced?

Philosopher Terence Mckenna stated, “The imagination is the goal of history. I see culture as an effort to literally realize our collective dreams.” For those who believe this proposition, the use of these imagination stimulating and reinforcing substances become much more efficacious on a societal level, however, what is the significance and benefit of use on an individual basis?

Through studies, we are slowly realizing the mass benefits of psychedelic use, from lsd's ability to dramatically reduce and even cure post traumatic stress disorder, to psilocybe mushroom's ability to cure depression and symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder for months at a time. Through, while these effects may seem miraculous, for those who have experienced these altered states of consciousness, there is something much deeper going on, and this healing is only symptomatic.

Psychedelics produce a much more primal and organic state of awareness, from which one as able to easily recognize the different between inherent fact, and psychological axioms that are primarily made form bullshit -- this gives one a natural perspective from which one can distinguish what really matters from what doesn't matter.

The fact that these, and other, plants are illegal has a dramatic dulling effect on consensus awareness.

There are other plants, in fact, that have vast medicinal benefit, yet are either illegal, or are at risk of becoming illegal. The two primary of these are kratom, and cannabis.

Kratom hasdramatic pain-killing, anxiolytic and psychologically uplifting effects, and when kept in moderation, can be a fantastic substitute for a vast variety of pharmacological herbs. Cannabis, as well has medicinal effects that can make many pharmaceuticals obsolete.

The role of plants in nature are vast, and they are largely tools for the healing of both individual and society, yet those which that haven't healed see fit to infringe on the liberty and the rest of the population.

For those who are interested in exploring both the internal and external through tools such as philosphy psychedelic experience, psychoactive application, science, botany and cultural studies, cosmic voyage may pique interest.

Here we are dedicated to proving accurent information on the cultural uses of plants such as psilocybe mushrooms, ayahuasca, dimethyltryptamine, lysergic acid diethylamide as well as less consciousness altering and often legal substances such as kava, kratom and cannabis.